


A (Not) Late Birthday Surprise

by Kalira



Series: Domestic Wolf [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Birthday, Feelings, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, M/M, Surprises, Wolf Hatake Kakashi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:47:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24382297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/pseuds/Kalira
Summary: Iruka has had a fine birthday, despite the fact that his lover is late returning and will miss it. But when Kakashi does return, he has a surprise for Iruka that more than makes up for any disappointment he might have felt.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka, Umino Iruka & Uzumaki Naruto
Series: Domestic Wolf [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1668181
Comments: 37
Kudos: 179





	A (Not) Late Birthday Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote something this past weekend for a gift exchange in honour of Iruka's birthday (with a different ship) but last night I had a spark of a thought and wrote this on a whim to chase it down for Iruka's birthday today.

Iruka paused in the sheltered front garden of his home, the gate closed behind him and the compound quiet. He smiled, though it was . . . well, it was _empty_ quiet.

He shook his head and made his way up to the door, letting himself inside and shedding his satchel, putting it aside along with the bag of small presents he’d been given by his students, his smile widening. They’d still been _monsters_ today of course - and there had been some sulking that he wasn’t taking it easy on them on his _birthday_ ; Iruka had resisted the impulse to flip it and ask why _they_ weren’t taking it easy on _him_ for his birthday, knowing it would only get them more riled up - but their well-wishes had been cheering.

Iruka did love his students, the horde of barely-contained chaos that they were. Nana had offered to take his class for the day, give him his birthday off, but. . .

Well, Iruka had asked her to hang on to the offer and said he might take a day when Kakashi actually returned, if she didn’t mind.

He pulled a small Konoha leaf made out of roughly beaten metal from the bag of presents, rubbing his thumb over the spiral carved into it, and set it on the edge of a bookshelf on his way into the kitchen; he’d put up a nail to hang it later.

Kakashi had promised he would try his best to be back by Iruka’s birthday, but it wasn’t his fault that he hadn’t made it. Iruka wasn’t upset with him, though he missed his lover. And he wasn’t _too_ surprised, either. Kakashi hadn’t even been able - or willing - to share much about the mission he was going on this time, though he’d taken Sakura with him, so at least it wasn’t more unfinished business from his time in ANBU.

At least there was that, Iruka thought, opening the fridge and contemplating going back out for dinner. And pray that it was many years yet - _never_ , preferably - before Sakura was ordered to accompany Kakashi on such missions. Being forced to take his little apprentice on the kinds of missions from his ANBU days would threaten Kakashi with breaking, Iruka thought with a twist of bitterness. He shook his head and pushed the thought away, skimming the contents of the fridge and barely seeing them, really. His friends would probably take him for-

Iruka froze, then straightened, closing the fridge. There was a sound, further in the house, or no . . . out behind it. . . Surely not, he thought, but he felt a fluttering lightness in his chest all the same.

Iruka moved through the house quickly; he glanced towards the spot where Kakashi generally left his gear when he returned from a long mission, but it was empty, as Iruka had noted when he came in. Iruka stepped out onto the engawa in the back and his breath caught as his gaze immediately lit on the huge heap of silvery fluff lying in the undergrowth.

“Kakashi!” Iruka cried, grinning, and Kakashi lifted his head, ears perking and a grin of his own spreading across his muzzle, showing off his fangs and bright tongue. As his head rose, Iruka saw that he wasn’t alone, either, Sakura sitting in the ferns and nestled against his chest. “Ah, Sakura-chan!”

“Happy birthday, Iruka-sensei!” Sakura greeted, bouncing to her feet and bowing.

“Thank you. Welcome back.” Iruka dipped his head as he approached. “I didn’t think you. . .” He trailed off as Kakashi rose and stretched out his neck, nuzzling Iruka’s palm and forearm, then nosing his neck. “I’m glad you’re home.” he said softly into Kakashi’s ear, which flicked, tickling his chin. Iruka buried his hands in Kakashi’s fur, holding on to him.

Kakashi shifted shapes, standing before him in a lazy slouch, face still covered and eye curved in a smile. “Of course, koibito.” He cocked his head, clicking his tongue. “I promised my best.”

“You did.” Iruka said, and didn’t mention that it would hardly have been Kakashi’s fault if he couldn’t make it back on time. “Oh, I’m just happy you’re home.” he admitted, leaning closer to Kakashi, despite his student nearby.

“There’s a surprise for you, too!” Sakura said, and Iruka blinked, drawing back again. “It’s where we went, really.” she added, and Iruka looked from her to Kakashi, who was rubbing the back of his neck. “To bring it back.”

“. . .not a mission?” Iruka asked, brows arching.

“We picked up a mission,” Kakashi denied, then huffed, “we needed a good reason to head out that way.”

“Sort of that way.” Sakura qualified, and Iruka wondered how far out of the way of the mission they’d wound up going for . . . whatever it was.

“Surprise?” Iruka prompted curiously.

“Kit?” Kakashi said, and Iruka frowned for a moment. Kakashi stepped aside and Sakura toed at something where she stood a few paces to his left and-

Iruka’s breath caught, his heart thudding in his chest, as a bright orange blur burst out of the undergrowth in front of him. “ _Naruto!_ ” he shouted, an instant before Naruto slammed into him. He nearly knocked Iruka off his feet, and Iruka seized him in a tight hug. “Naruto! Oh! I’m- _Naruto._ ”

“Missed you, Iruka-sensei.” Naruto said into his chest, squeezing him hard enough to hurt. “Happy birthday!” he added, leaning his head back to look up at Iruka.

“Happy birthday, koibito.” Kakashi said softly as he and Sakura came closer, and Iruka felt the prickle of tears threatening, taking in Naruto’s familiar brightly-grinning face.

“I’m so glad to see you.” Iruka said, freeing one hand from around Naruto’s waist to cup his cheek. “You’re taller.” he added, which shouldn’t have been a surprise, but somehow still was, just a little. “I’ve missed you too.”

Naruto beamed at him a little more, and Iruka inspected him carefully as they finally pulled apart. He had also _worried_ for Naruto, out _somewhere_ with Gama-sennin - _Ero-sennin_ Naruto called him, which was not particularly reassuring either - even after Kakashi had begun to periodically finagle trips to check on Naruto personally, bringing more reliable news back to Iruka.

Iruka ruffled Naruto’s hair where it fell over his hitai-ate - Iruka’s old hitai-ate, still, and he grinned a little more to see it. Naruto had been offered a new one and resolutely refused to stop wearing this one.

“I’m going to start dinner.” Kakashi said lightly, kissing his cheek, and Iruka startled.

“Oh, I-”

“Catch up a little.” Kakashi interrupted, hand sliding down his back. “Just the two of you.” he added, barely a murmur, and tilted his head towards Naruto.

“I’ll help, sensei!” Sakura offered, trotting past them to follow after Kakashi as he sauntered up towards the house.

Iruka turned back to Naruto, and he beamed. “I was so glad when Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-chan showed up!” he said brightly, and caught Iruka in another hug. “Ero-sennin said I shouldn’t go but Kakashi-sensei swore I’d be fine with him, and it’s _Kakashi-sensei_ , of course it’s fine, and anyway I can take care of myself, I’m a ninja!”

Iruka leaned back a little, hands on Naruto’s shoulders. “That you are.” he said. He resisted the frown that wanted to take over his expression at the news that Jiraiya had wanted to keep Naruto from returning to him. It was, no doubt, to do with Naruto’s training with the sennin rather than. . .

It still stung. Jiraiya had taken Naruto _away_ , and Iruka couldn’t help but worry for him and want him back. Any more than he could help thinking of it that way; that Jiraiya had _taken_ Naruto.

“Oh, I have a present for you, too!” Naruto said, bouncing on his heels.

Iruka laughed. “Just you being here is more than enough of a present!” he said, shaking his head. “I didn’t need anything else!”

“Nah, me being here is Kakashi-sensei’s present for you I bet.” Naruto stuck his tongue out. “Stingy-sensei.”

Iruka smothered another laugh. It was more than enough present on that score, as well, that his lover had taken a trip across the country to kami only knew where, argued with one of the Sannin, and brought Naruto back home for Iruka’s birthday. He would, surely, have to come up with a reason to head back the same way again to return Naruto to Jiraiya after, as well.

Although, unlike Naruto with his obvious disdain, Iruka rather suspected it wouldn’t truly be what Kakashi claimed as his gift for Iruka’s birthday. He suspected Kakashi would deny much thanks for it, either, despite the lengths he must have gone to in doing so.

“Well thank you.” Iruka said, and squeezed Naruto’s shoulders.

“You haven’t even opened it yet! It’s inside!” Naruto grabbed his hand and headed back towards the house, and Iruka went with him, but stopped him on the engawa.

“And I look forward to it, thank you,” Iruka said, but shook his head, “but. . .”

“But what?” Naruto asked, not quite pouting. Iruka laughed and dropped down on the boards, folding one leg and stretching the other out over the edge of the engawa.

“What can you tell me?” Iruka asked, and Naruto blinked, then grinned again, dropping down nearby. “About your _adventures_?”

Naruto crossed his legs and hummed thoughtfully before he launched into the first of what proved to be a string of varying improbable or hair-raising stories. Iruka suppressed his alarmed reactions - most of them, anyway - and praised Naruto for the things he’d learned, promising that he wanted to see what Naruto would show him of those new skills, later - tomorrow, perhaps - sometime before he had to leave again.

“Yeah! It’ll be great!” Naruto cheered. “I’m a really great ninja now, Iruka-sensei, you’ll see!”

“I knew you would be.” Iruka told him, squeezing his arm.

Naruto bit his lip, looking up at Iruka, expression suddenly wibbly.

“Naruto?” Iruka asked, concerned.

Naruto threw himself at Iruka. “I- Thanks, ‘ruka-sensei.” he said, head tucking down on Iruka’s shoulder with a sharp, shallow breath accompanied by a little wet sound. Iruka rubbed his back, confused. “You believed in me and I- No one else wanted me to be a ninja but-”

Iruka hugged him tight as he stuttered off into silence again. “And I’m proud of you.” he said when Naruto said nothing more, and Naruto half-sobbed on him, squeezing tight enough Iruka’s ribs protested. Iruka rocked him a little, rubbing his back and returning the tight hug.

Iruka looked up at a barely-there sound that was _not_ Naruto, and saw Kakashi in the doorway. He raised his eyebrow, tilting his head towards Naruto. Iruka smiled a bit and shook his head. Naruto was fine. Kakashi nodded.

“Hey, Naruto, you ready for dinner?” Iruka asked, patting Naruto’s back. “I think it’s ready for us.”

Kakashi nodded, then melted back into the house, closing the door silently.

“Huh? Oh, yeah!” Naruto drew back, scrubbing his sleeve over his face with a half-muffled honking sound from his stuffed nose. Iruka winced a bit. “Wait, can Kakashi-sensei _cook_?”

Iruka laughed. He hadn’t thought to question that before, when Kakashi said he would make dinner? “Yes, Kakashi can cook.” he said, squeezing Naruto’s shoulder and rising. “Come and see.”

Naruto made a dubious face as he followed Iruka back into the house. “Well, I suppose if it’s awful we can go for ramen. . .”

Iruka shook his head, shooing Naruto ahead of himself into the kitchen. “It will be-”

“We could have ramen anyway!” Naruto said suddenly, and then yelped as Sakura swatted the back of his head lightly.

“We’re having a nice dinner for Iruka-sensei’s birthday!” Sakura said, scowling. “You had ramen _already_ today and Kakashi-sensei promised to treat you to it _again_ tomorrow.” she added, and Iruka stifled a laugh.

“Yeah, but it’s _Kakashi-sensei_ , like he’ll really-”

“I promised, if you behaved on the way in, and you did.” Kakashi said mildly. “Ready for dinner, koibito?” he asked, stepping up close to Iruka and sliding his hand over Iruka’s waist. He nodded, letting Kakashi draw him in to take a seat at the head of the table, which was already arrayed with dinner - and a small heap of presents at the other end, just shy of where Sakura sat at Kakashi’s other side, Iruka noticed.

They shared dinner and Iruka asked about their trip back - particularly curious what Naruto had needed to be _bribed_ through - enjoying having both of his most precious people back with him, neither of whom he had expected to see today.

* * *

Iruka stepped into the bedroom after checking on Naruto, bedded down in a rarely used guest room, once more. He found Kakashi towelling his dripping hair, sitting on the futon, already laid out and ready. He looked up with a grin, stormy eye soft.

Iruka closed the door behind himself and padded to the futon, piled cosily with pillows, the light summer kakebuton folded along one side. Iruka smiled a little. Though he needed it generally, even that was too much at times when his lover was sharing the bed in his wolf shape. “Hello, darling.” he said, settling down beside Kakashi and taking hold of the towel, using the loop of fabric behind Kakashi’s neck to pull his lover towards himself.

“Hello, koibito.” Kakashi returned playfully, nose wrinkling.

Iruka laughed and kissed his nose, then gasped as he nipped Iruka’s jaw in return. He rumbled companionably, nuzzling Iruka’s cheek, and leaned into him for a moment.

“Did you enjoy your birthday surprise?” Kakashi asked, voice low.

“Oh, darling.” Iruka’s throat tightened. He released the towel and wrapped his arms around Kakashi instead, pushing harder into his lover’s lean body, both of them sliding down onto the futon as they overbalanced. “Yes. I-”

Iruka fell silent, swallowing and simply snuggling into Kakashi, thinking about Naruto curled up in the guest room, in _his home_. Thinking about his lover taking a weeks-long trip to search Naruto out and bring him back for Iruka’s birthday, without a word, simply because Iruka missed him so. Iruka took a shallow breath, not quite a gasp, pressing his face into Kakashi’s damp, fluffy hair.

Then suddenly Kakashi was broader and bigger beneath him, and he was nestled against thick fur, Kakashi slipped into his wolf shape. Iruka pushed the towel away and buried his hands in Kakashi’s fur, shifting a little and then allowing his weight to rest fully on his lover.

Kakashi shifted beneath him, cosying Iruka close against his side and bending his head to press his muzzle to Iruka’s collarbone, just shy of his neck. Iruka drew a deeper breath, stretching out a little more comfortably, twining soft fur around his fingers.

“Gorgeous.” Iruka said after a few minutes, and Kakashi whined softly in answer, licking at the base of Iruka’s neck. “ _Thank you._ ”

Kakashi crooned, resting his muzzle across Iruka’s neck for a moment, then tucking his head down to rest just above Iruka’s on the pillow. Iruka wrapped an arm over Kakashi’s bulk, relaxing into him with another sniffle, feeling Kakashi’s heart beating against his own chest - a wolf’s heart, tightly guarded, fierce . . . and endlessly devoted.

Iruka tugged gently at Kakashi’s fur, sinking comfortably into sleep tucked cosily in the curl of his lover’s body.


End file.
